World’s Preeminent Yiddish Program Announces its 2023 Summer Semester
June 12, 2023
Contact: Joanna Gallai, joanna@anatgerstein.com, 347-361-8687
—Registration for language courses with The Workers Circle is now open: www.circle.org/2023yiddish—
(New York, N.Y.) –The Workers Circle, a 123-year-old Jewish nonprofit headquartered in New York City and the world’s preeminent provider of Yiddish language instruction, has opened registration for its Summer Semester with 46 courses for all levels and klezmer/Yiddish song workshops, featuring pieces from the new YiddishSongs.org archive. This semester will be taught exclusively online and feature instructors from Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Israel, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
“Interest in learning and exploring the Yiddish language continues to grow, and we’re thrilled to present another summer semester of classes. When we first launched summer classes in 2020, we could not have predicted such an incredible response,” says Workers Circle CEO Ann Toback. “Yiddishists and aspirants don’t want to take the summer off from connecting with our cultural heritage through Yiddish language learning and music. Our students and teachers are a global community excited to meet and learn together year-round.”
“Our new offerings this summer are incredible and include a wide variety of classes, including Learning Yiddish Through Song with Janie Respitz; Klezmer Melody with Adrianne Greenbaum; Introduction to Yiddish Dialects with Leyzer Burko; and Yiddish Poetry in the Soviet Union (1960s) and Israel (1970s & 1980s) with Dov-Ber Kerler,” says Kolya Borodulin, Yiddish Program Director at the Workers Circle. “We have a wonderful mix of beginner, intermediate, and advanced language courses as well as hands-on music courses—bring your instrument or use your voice!”
With 17 courses offered at the Beginners level, first-time students are encouraged to register. There are an additional 10 courses offered at the Intermediate level and 11 courses for Advanced Yiddishists. All sessions are recorded and sent to students for review or to catch up. The start dates for summer semester classes vary, with some beginning in late June and others in early July. They run through late July to mid-August, depending on the course.
All classes will be taught virtually via Zoom, ensuring the summer remains COVID-safe and accessible to students residing across the United States and internationally.
So far in 2023, the Workers Circle has registered Yiddish students in all five boroughs of New York City, in 36 states around the U.S., and in 24 countries around the world. Yiddish instructors have been hired in nine different countries.
For more detail on course descriptions and dates, visit: www.circle.org/2023yiddish
Member rates this summer are $150 per class or song course and $300 for intensive courses. Non-member rates are $180 per class or song course and $340 for intensive courses.
The Workers Circle offers a 50% class discount to full-time students and Yiddish teachers.
For more on costs and to register, visit: www.circle.org/2023-yiddish-class-price-and-registration
The Workers Circle (or Der Arbeter Ring, as it is known in Yiddish) was founded over a century ago by Yiddish-speaking immigrants to New York and has been at the forefront of the contemporary Yiddish renaissance, teaching the language for the last 30 years and presiding over its surge in popularity. Its Yiddish program currently serves over 1,000 students annually.
About the Workers Circle
Founded 122 years ago, the Workers Circle (formerly known as the Workmen’s Circle) is a social justice organization that powers progressive Jewish identity through Jewish cultural engagement, Yiddish language learning, multigenerational education, and social justice activism. For over a century we have provided this 360-degree approach to Jewish identity-building. Through contemporary cultural programs, strategic social justice campaigns, vibrant Yiddish language classes, interactive educational experiences and more, we connect Jewish adults, kids and families of all affiliations with their cultural heritage, working to build a better and more beautiful world for all. Learn more at www.circle.org.